Prongs and the Prophecy
by PotterRocksMySocks
Summary: James Potter is starting school. But what awaits at Hogwarts? A band of mischevious kids, uptight teachers, a greasy haired bully, magic, and a prophecy that could spell doom for someone dear. CH 4: Welcome to Hogwarts
1. Books and Broom Theives

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters.

Chapter 1: Books and Broom Thieves.

James Potter was in a dark, dense forest. The trees covered the moon and the stars. In the distance he heard a wolf howl. James shivered. It was extremely cold. He could see his breath in the air.

He began to walk forward. James really had no idea were he was going but something was telling him to move. Soon he came upon a clearing. In the center was a lone figure staring at the moon. He had the bare head and torso of a man, but from his waist down were the legs of a horse. James walked up and stood next to the centaur.

"Look at the stars, James," said the centaur. James was not at all surprised that he knew his name. He stared skyward through a gap in the trees. All he saw were a couple stars and the full moon. The centaur spoke again "Look next to the moon, where the constellation _Lion Magicus _resides. Do you know what that means James?"

James continued to look for the constellation and shook his head. "It means that a great power is rising." The centaur looked down at him, his brown eyes dark and foreboding. "When the Moon becomes the Lion's eye, Fear shall steal the night. Secrets shall reign and spirits lie, and a Black shall be dead by morning's light. Remember this James."

He stared at the centaur. Suddenly his vision swam and he heard a loud rapping noise. A voice that sounded strangely like his mother shouted, "James, dear, time to get up. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling of his room. It was all a dream.

James sat up and rubbed his eyes and then looked around his room. His walls were covered in posters of Quidditch teams and players and his bedside table was buried in a mountain of chocolate frog cards. At the foot of his bed lay a trunk full of clothes and a few books. He still had to get the rest of his Hogwarts school supplies. That's what he planned to do today.

He dressed quickly and came down stairs to the dining room. James sat down at the long Mahogany table next to his father. Nicholas Potter was reading the _Daily Prophet_ like usual. The door opened and their house elf, Darian, came in carrying three trays. He set one in front of James, one in front of Mr. Potter, and set the last nest to James' father.

Just then the door opened again and Samantha Potter strolled in. Her short curly, blonde hair was perfect as usual and her violet robe trailed in behind her. She said "thank you" to Darian as she passed her and sat down.

After breakfast, James got dressed and came to stand by the fire. Soon, his mother and father joined him. Mr. Potter reached up to the mantle and grabbed a handful of silver powder. This was Floo powder and James had used it many times before. Mr. Potter threw the powder into the fireplace and shouted "Diagon Alley!" A green flame erupted and Mr. Potter stepped into it, followed by Mrs. Potter and James.

They arrived at The Leaky Cauldron fireplace. The pub was packed as usual and the Potters found it difficult to reach the back of the pub. They walked into a closed in patio. Mr. Potter walked up to the far wall, took out his wand and tapped the bricks in a certain order. As soon as the last brick was tapped, the wall began to wiggle and move before opening up and revealing a long winding street. This was Diagon Alley.

Mrs. Potter pulled out James' school list and checked it. She then wandered into the shop on their immediate left, followed James and his father.

The shop was full of things for every potion possible. Unicorn horns dangled from the ceiling and salamander eyes filled up a barrel. Vials of every shape and size lined the walls and cauldrons were stacked in huge piles. James' parents went to get his things while he wandered between the rows of unusual items.

When they left the shop James had a pewter cauldron, a set of glass vials, and basic potion ingredients. They then visited _Flourish and Blotts. _Upon entering they found it extremely crowded. At the back of the shop was a desk with a sign saying Hogwarts Books and a line stretching from their full of students and their parents. James' mother grabbed a parcel containing first year books and got in line.

It took all of half an hour to get to the front of the line. They were met by a nice looking witch who took a look at the parcel and asked for five Galleons. Mr. Potter paid the money and turned to leave. Just then they were met by a tall man with blonde hair. His eyes were a piercing blue and he had a long nose. With him was a boy of James' age who looked remarkably like his father.

"Well, look who it is, Nick Potter," Said the man. The boy looked at James and smirked.

"Hello, Andreason Malfoy. What brings you here?" Mr. Potter said with a hint of scorn to the tall blonde headed man whose name appeared to be Andreason.

"Oh just buying Lucius' school things. He will be attending school with James." James winced at the sound of his name. He didn't much like these people. The boy Lucius turned to him and stretched out his hand.

"Lucius Malfoy, at your service," said the boy. James just stared at Lucius' hand. "Not one for manners, are you."

Lucius turned and pulled out his wand. "Cherry, 14 inches, with dragon heatstring. Just got it. One of the best you could buy," To James, this boy was starting to sound incredibly obnoxious and conceited. He grabbed his dad's arm and pulled him towards the door. They were followed closely by Mrs. Potter.

Out in the Alley they walked farther down the street. Kames turned to his father and asked "Did you know them dad?"

"Unfortunately, I work with Mr. Malfoy at the Ministry. He and his family are a bunch of scum." said Mr. Potter with a scowl.

They had come to an old decrepit store with the words _Ollivanders_ printed in peeling gold paint. James hesitantly walked toward the old store with his parents.

The inside was covered in shelves holding hundreds of long, thin boxes. In the center of the room was a wooden desk. On it were heaps of paper, a lamp, and weird little baubles. At the desk sat an old man who stood up at once when the Potters entered.

"Well, well, I was wondering when James Potter was going to arrive," The man looked down at him closely. James backed up a little. "Now, please stick out your wand arm for me." James did and as soon as he did a tape measure flew out of nowhere and began measuring his fingers, wrist, middle finger to elbow, elbow to mid shoulder, shoulder to shoulder, head, and length of nose. Soon, James was entangled in the tape measure. It suddenly whizzed away and Mr. Ollivander took a box down from the shelves.

"Now try this, willow, 8 inches, unicorn hair," he said and handed James a wand. Everyone looked at him and, unsure of what to do, flicked it. Immediately, a couple boxes flew off the shelves and spilled all over the floor. Mr. Ollivander snatched the wand out of his hand and handed him a new one.

"Chestnut, 15 inches, with dragon heartstring," said the old man. James gave it a flick and one of the baubles on the desk blew to pieces. Mr. Ollivander took that one too, and went in search of a new one. He soon came back with a new one.

"Here you go, maple, 11 inches, phoenix feather, perfect for transfiguration," James took the wand and, wincing, gave it a flick. Instead of blowing something up a strange thing occurred. Warmth spread up his arm and golden sparks flew out of the end of the wand and danced on the floor. A smile spread across James' face.

"Knew it. Knew that was the one for you, my boy," Mr. Ollivander seemed a little too excited. He handed James the wand and asked for eleven galleons. The Potters paid and left.

Outside, James toyed with his wand, excited about what he could do with it. He couldn't wait to use a jinx or a hex. Maybe he would be able to learn one tonight.

Mr. Potter led them to the pet store, saying something about a way to contact them at school. James was able to pick out an owl. He picked out a gray and white one he named Hermes. He admired it greatly as they finished their shopping.

The Potters were soon finished with their shopping and were making their way to the Leaky Cauldron when a loud explosion erupted behind them. All three turned around to see something zoom over their heads. It looked faintly like someone riding a broom.

Two more brooms flew above with laughing riders. James looked up to the sky and saw that three men were soaring away on brooms, nice ones at that. They were wearing dark cloaks that covered their faces and had their wands out.

James suddenly realized that a man was shouting somewhere nearby. He looked around and saw a plump wizard running towards them. James recognized him as Jason Jameson, owner of the Quidditch shop in Diagon Alley.

Around ten more perfect condition brooms soared over their heads, following the flying wizards. They were bewitched and, apparently, stolen. This angered Jason even more and he lifted his wand and he shouted "_Accio brooms_!" The spell seemed to have no effect on the brooms as they continued to drift towards the horizon.

"What was that all about?" James asked.

Mr. Potter shrugged and said "I have no idea."

Later that night Mr. Potter and James were in the drawing room, with their wands out. "One more time James," Mr. Potter was saying. They were practicing jinxes. James hadn't managed to perform a single one.

James raised his wand and shouted "_Projellium!_" A pink light shot out of the end of his wand and flew towards Mr. Potter. He was caught by surprise as the light hit him in the chest. It was as if all the bones had been removed from his legs. Mr. Potters legs gave out from under him and he fell n his face.

"Nice Jelly Leg Jinx," said Mr. Potter as he performed the counter jinx. His legs returned to normal and he stood up. James smiled and helped his father. They heard a knock at the door. The house elf, Darian, walked in.

"The Misses says Master James needs to go to sleep," said the house elf. James groaned and put his wand away.

"G'night, Dad," James said and walked up to his room. Inside he flopped down on his bed fully clothed. He couldn't believe it. Tomorrow he was Hogwarts-bound.

A/N: Hope you liked it. Please review!


	2. Marauder Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any thing related to it.

Chapter 2: Merauder Meeting

James awoke the next day at six-thirty in the morning. It was to early to go eat breakfast so he dressed and began to pack. He opened the trunk at the foot of his bed and threw in the books that were strewn about the floor. James then went to his closet and packed up some clothes along with his school robes. He kept his wand with him and packed his potions gear. He looked at his trunk when he was done. It was messy but it would have to do.

Hermes, his owl, was sleeping soundly in his cage with his wing over his head. James decided not to wake Hermes yet. James walked over to the window.

The night before, James had trouble getting to sleep. His mother and father had told him all about the castle, about the ghosts, the houses, the classes, and the Quidditch. James still couldn't imagine what it was going to be like, and that had kept him up for hours.

As soon as the clock chimed seven thirty, James bolted down to the dining room to meet his parents. They were already there, eating the bacon and pancakes served by Darian. James sat down beside them.

"Are you packed, dear." asked Mrs. Potter.

"Yep," James answered happily. He dug into his pancakes and bacon.

Soon, the Potters were ready to leave. Mr. Potter levitated James' trunk to the car. They all piled in after the trunk and left Potter Manor.

They arrived at King's Cross Train Station fifteen minutes before the train was scheduled to depart. James saw other wizarding families arriving and walking through the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

James pushed a trolley in front of him, loaded with his trunk and Hermes' cage. They followed a family up to the very solid looking wall. The family in front of them consisted of a small black haired boy, a boy about James' age, a girl about a year ahead of him with long hair, and an old witch that seemed to have a permanent grimace on her face.

The family disappeared through the wall and now it was their turn. James had only done this once or twice before and it still made him nervous. Mr. Potter walked through first. James followed; his walk breaking into a run, and fell through the brick wall to the other side.

Sitting before him was a giant, red locomative. Steam was rising from the top and drifting off through the station. Some children were getting on the train, while others were hanging out the windows saying goodbye to their parents.

James followed his father to the back of the train and stood their waiting for his mom, who had found some old friends. "Samantha, dear," Mr. Potter called "James can't wait forever." Mrs. Potter said farewell came to join them.

Mr. Potter hoisted James' trunk onto the train and James followed. "Now, James, be good at school. I don't want any letters saying you've gotten yourself a detention," said his mother. James promised her he would try not to get into trouble and hugged her goodbye. He bade his father goodbye and went inside.

James followed the corridor down and found an empty compartment. He dropped his things and stared out the window at his parents. He would miss them, yes, but Hogwarts would keep him busy. James had never been away from them for more than a week. He sighed

There was a knock at the compartment door. James looked up and saw a small boy entering the compartment. He had well-kept brown hair and small glasses. He looked pale and was very scrawny. Behind him was a trunk and a basket. "Mind if I sit here?" said the newcomer.

"Not at all. I'm James Potter," said James and stuck out his hand.

The boy shook it and said "My names Remus, Remus Lupin." He sat down on the bench across from him.

"What's in the basket?" James asked, nodding towards the woven basket that was moving slightly.

Remus leaned over and flipped up the lid. Suddenly, a black and white blur leaped out of the basket, dashed around the compartment, then settled in Remus' lap. "This is my cat, Cloud," he said and petted his cat fondly.

They heard a whistle off in the distance and felt the train move. James looked out the window again at his parents. They were waving and slowly drifting away. James waved back until they were out of sight.

James heard the compartment door open again. He and Remus looked up and saw a round, short boy squeeze through the door, dragging his trunk behind him. His blonde hair was combed to the side and he had blue eyes. The boy pulled n his trunk and stashed it in the drawer above the seats. He then sat down next to Remus.

"Hi, I'm Peter Pettigrew. Who are you guys?" said the boy.

James told the boy his name and Remus did too. They began to talk about the school when a rap came at the door. James stood up and opened it. Standing outside was a plump witch pushing a cart loaded with sweets. Cauldron Cakes, Pumpkin Pastries, Licorice Wands, Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans, and Chocolate Frogs sat their calling to James. He took out the money pouch his parents had given him and bought a ton of everything. He took all back into the compartment and dumped it onto the seat nest to him.

Remus and Peter stared at the pile of sweets in awe. James had just opened a Chocolate Frog when he noticed their odd looks. "What?" he said.

"Can you afford all that?" Remus said.

James suddenly became self-conscious. "Well, uh yeah, I mean, I guess." he said. James had always been a little self-conscious about his family's wealth. The Potters were extremely rich and could afford almost anything. "Do you want some?" James offered.

"Of course," Remus and Peter said in unison and reached over and grabbed a handful of the candy. James went back to the Chocolate Frog he had been unwrapping. He took out the frog, bit off its head, and flipped over the card. On the back it read:

**Godric Gryffindor **

1135-1202: One of the original founders of the wizard school

Hogwarts; Amazing Quidditch player; Accomplished Legimens

and Animagus: Died of old age in 1202: his house still stands

for bravery and courage.

"I really want to be in his house," said James as he showed the card to Remus.

"Me too. I do know what I would do if I didn't," said Remus. Peter nodded in agreement. They continued to eat their way through the pie of candy as the day wore on. The skies began to cloud over and soon it pouring outside. They still hadn't managed to eat the whole pile by mid-afternoon. That's when another knock came at the door.

This time it was Remus who opened it. In walked four boys. James recognized two of them. One was the boy he had met in _Flourish and Blotts_ two days ago, Lucius Malfoy. The other he knew from his childhood. The boy's name was Severus Snape. He had shoulder-length, greasy black hair and pale skin. Mr. Potter had worked with his father and James had seen Severus on many occasions. The other two boys were unfamiliar to him.

"Well, if it isn't No-Manners Potter. I do have manners so I will introduce you to my friends," Lucius said. He pointed to a boy with short black hair behind him. "This is Sirius Black," he pointed to Severus "This is Severus Snape," Lucius then pointed to large boy in the back with untidy brown hair "and this is Ray Johnson."

"Thanks for the introductions. Now get out." James said.

"Such disrespect," Lucius said "you should treat your superiors with respect."

"You don't follow that rule when you talk to me," James said with a smirk.

"You, Potter, are no more superior to me than a dirty mop," Lucius retorted.

"I wouldn't talk about your mother that way if I were you, Malfoy," James smiled at the shocked look on Lucius' face.

"I wouldn't insult one's mother unless their own mother smelled better than a skunk fried in onions," Lucius said, as he whipped out his wand.

This last comment pushed James over the edge. He whipped out his own wand and pointed it at Lucius' chest. "Going to jinx me are you?" Lucius said and looked at James' wand. "You couldn't jinx the broadside of a barn."

At this Remus stood up too. James narrowed his eyes and said "You want to test that theory, Malfoy."

Lucius smiled and raised his wand. "You won't be so cheeky when I'm through, Potter. _Slugius!_" The green jinx flew out of Lucius' wand. James had been ready and jumped to the side. Instead of hitting James, the jinx flew beside him and hit Remus in the throat. At first, it appeared to have no effect. Then, Remus began to look sick. His cheeks bulged and he opened his mouth. Out of it fell a slug the size of a deck of cards. James grimaced and stood up.

"Perform the counter-jinx," James said, once again pointing his wand at Lucius.

Lucius and his gang were laughing hysterically. Lucius could hardly respond through his teeth. "Why? That's (gasp) the only thing (gasp) that's come out of his (gasp) mouth the whole time."

James growled, raised his wand, and shouted "_Projellium!_" The jinx hit Lucius in the chest and knocked him back against the corridor. Just like with his father, James' spell had made Lucius' legs go limp. Lucius tried to stand up but fell flat on his face. Severus and Ray rushed to help him up. They hoisted Lucius up by the arms until he was level with James.

"You will pay for this, Potter!" Lucius shouted in James face. "I will make this the worst year you will ever have!"

As if in response to this comment, Remus barfed a slug right into Lucius' face. Ray and Severus rushed Lucius out of the compartment with Sirius trailing behind. As they left, James could swear he saw a smirk on Sirius' face.

Soon, it was time to put on their school robes. The boys could feel the train stop beneath their feet. They left the compartment and walked along the corridor. James made sure to wait for Lucius and his friends to leave their compartment before continuing on.

On the platform, Remus had managed to stop barfing slugs. Lucius' spell had worn off earlier but Remus still looked a little green. Peter looked sick too. He and James had been forced to watch slug after come out of Remus' mouth and fall into a bucket.

All the first years swarmed towards a large man. He had a heavy overcoat laden with pockets. His black scraggly beard covered most of his face except for his eyes, which were a shining black. His trashcan size hands were holding a lantern and he was shouting "Firs' years, over here. Firs' years, this way."

James, Remus, and Peter walked with the other first years toward Hagrid. When they all arrived, Hagrid led them down a path heading towards a large the lake. They rounded a bend and got their first look at the castle.

No matter how much he had heard about Hogwarts, James wasn't prepared for the sight that beheld his eyes. The castle had many towers and turrets all aglow with torches. At one end of the castle was a long hall that lit up the night sky around it. This was the Great hall.

Hagrid led the first years down the trail to a small dock. There sat ten small boats, looking almost expectant. "No more than four ter a boat," yelled their giant guide. James, Remus, and Peter piled into a boat with a tall blonde boy named Jack Rosen.

As soon as everyone was settled into their boats (Hagrid had a boat to himself) the boats lurched forward and began to drift across the lake. James peered over the edge of boat and saw a dark shape drifting below the surface. It looked strangely like a giant octopus.

"James, watch out!" James heard Peter yell. He had been leaning over the edge too far and the boat began to tip. James tried desperately to right the boat, but it was too late. The small wooden boat fell over and dumped its passengers right into the lake.

James felt the cold, biting water nip his face as he plunged below the surface. He came above to see all the boats were stopped and the first years looking at them. Remus, Peter, and Jack were all bobbing on the surface too.

The four boys swam back to their boat and climbed in. They were drenched. Their robes stuck to their skin and James' hair, for once, lay flat against his scalp. Hagrid drifted over in his own boat.

"You boys all right? Yeh took a right nasty fall." He said and tried to wipe off the boys. They nodded and all the boats lurched forward again.

Soon the arrived at a small cave and had to duck beneath some overhanging vines. They soon came to another dock. The first years climbed out of the boats and began to climb a long string of stairs leading up to the large double doors of the castle.

When they arrived, Hagrid knocked three times on oak doors. After a while, they creaked open and the first years were greeted by a very tall witch. She had waist-length, black hair and bony cheeks. Her nose was short and her mouth was formed into a smile.

"Here ya go, Professor McGonagall. The firs' years," Hagrid said. He gestured toward James, Peter, Remus, and Jack., who were still dripping all over the threshold. "These four fell in the lake."

Professor McGonagall's mouth became thin and her hazel eyes became menacing. "Uh huh. Follow me." She turned and walked through the double doors, with all the first years at her heels.

A/N: Hope it was long enough. Sirius and James will become friends later on. Please review.


	3. Sorting Surprises

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I have three other stories in-progress and had writers block so, yeah. Anyway, here's the fore mentioned chapter. Thanks to the ONE person who reviewed!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to it (does this get boring or what?)

Chapter Three: Sorting Surprises

The group of first year students entered the giant Entrance Hall with Professor McGonagall. Every single one of them stared in awe at the sheer immensity of it. James had been forewarned that Hogwarts was large, but he couldn't have imagined it to be this big.

He expected the professor to take them through the large double doors on the left side of the hall. But, instead, she led the group to a smaller door. As the students filed in past her, Professor McGonagall began to speak. "You are now right outside the Great Hall, which is where you will eat your meals and possibly spend free time. In a moment, I will call you into the Hall to be sorted. Please form a single file line and wait here for me to return," and with that she left the room.

James, Remus, and Peter stared around them. They were in a small plain room. The first years were slightly cramped inside. Murmurs and whispers were heard around the room about the sorting. Whispers turned to gasps when something silvery and transparent entered the room through the wall.

James' eyes widened in shock when he realized what the something was. It was a man, wearing a medieval suit and large round neck piece. He had long curly hair and a nasty-looking cut around his neck. He floated several feet in the air and drifted through the as if it weren't even there. The ghost was soon joined by others; a round cheerful wizard, a gruesome looking man with a silvery substance down his front, and a gangly old witch that looked incredibly depressed. 

They stopped directly above the students and the man with a cut around his neck smiled cheerfully and said "Welcome to Hogwarts! May I introduce myself and my colleagues. I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington." He gestured to the old wizard with the silvery substance on him. "This is the Bloody Baron," he pointed towards the fat man. "This is the Fat Friar, and" he pointed towards the depressed looking with, "this is the Gray Lady. We represent the four houses of Hogwarts. I-"

James couldn't tell what Sir Nicholas was about to say because he was interrupted by a sandy haired boy near James. "My brother told me about you. No one calls you Sir Nicholas." The ghost gave the boy a look of pure loathing as he said the next part. "You're Nearly Headless Nick! Oh do the head thing!"

James stared up at Nearly Headless Nick to find out what the 'head thing' but at that moment Professor McGonagall returned. They all immediately formed a line. James got right behind Remus. They were both sopping wet and James became suddenly aware that he was going out in front of the whole school. He gulped as McGonagall ushered them out the door.

As James walked with the others out of the chamber, a horrid thought entered his head. _What if I don't get into Gryffindor? Or, what if I'm put into Slytherin? _James' eyes went wide at the thought.

They walked into a gigantic hall. In the center there were four long tables each with a banner above them. The table on the far left's banner was red and gold striped and blazed the picture of a lion. On the other side of the hall a green and silver banner hung with a picture of a snake. James hoped beyond all reason that he would be sitting at the table on the left.

The Great Hall, as it was known, was illuminated by thousands of candles hanging from the single. James' gaze drifted toward the ceiling and his first thought was that there wasn't one. The ceiling showed the clear star filled sky exactly how it was outside. Even the half moon hung in the same position.

At the end of the hall, a long golden tabled stretched from wall to wall. Many adults sat at it; James presumed them to be teachers. At the center sat an old wizard with long graying hair and an equally long beard. He wore glassed resembling the moon outside behind which sat bright blue twinkling eyes. James knew immediately that this was the esteemed Albus Dumbledore.

McGonagall led them to a wooden stool upon which sat a weathered wizard's hat. The line of first years stopped short of this stool and waited. Suddenly, a line of stitches near the brim on the hat ripped open. James was shocked as the hat began to sing.

Hogwarts, the castle so great

Full to the brim of magic and learning

Packed with young and able minds

That are always ready and yearning.

Divided into four groups,

Each special and unique

The four houses of Hogwarts,

None horrible or bleak.

Gryffindor, the great red and gold

All brave, caring, and true.

Or Ravenclaw, through which ingenious flows,

They bear well the bronze and blue.

The cunning and quick of Slytherin

Who take pride in the silver and green.

Or the black and yellow of Hufflepuff,

Who are always loyal and keen.

So come and take a sit beneath my brim.

And I'll tell you what you may not know.

I'll reach deep inside your thoughts.

And show you to which house ought to go

When the hat had finished singing it became still. McGonagall pulled out a scroll made of parchment. In a loud voice she called out "Adams, Sarah!" A blonde-haired girl that towered over the rest of the first years stepped out of line. She walked up to the stool, sat down, and placed the Sorting Hat on her head. After a pause, the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" The table on the left cheered as she ran to join them.

"Allens, Stephen!" was the next name McGonagall called. A boy with dark skin placed the hat on his head, looking nervous. "HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted and he joined the table next to the Slytherins.

"Black, Sirius!" The boy with the long black hair James had seen snickering behind Lucius' back stepped up to the stool. James expected it to dub him Slytherin quickly but the hat took its time upon Sirius' head. For what seemed like hours the Sorting Hat debating which house to put him in. Sirius' eyes darted around the hall. Finally, the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius' mouth dropped in disbelief. The entire hall fell quiet. Then, amazingly, Sirius' mouth turned up into a smile. At this, The Gryffindor table broke into cheers. The Slytherin table sat in complete silence. Sirius got up off the stool and joined the Gryffindor table happily.

McGonagall continued on through the first years. Simon Cole became a Ravenclaw, as did Jessica Denworth. Two more first years became Slytherins. Then the Professor called "Evans, Lily!" A girl with red hair and gentle green eyes stepped up to the stool. She gracefully placed the hat on her head. To James, it appeared that the hat hadn't even touched her head when it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" Lily leaped off the stool and half ran to the Gryffindor table, where she was met with cheers.

"Hallowell, Hannah!" was right behind Lily. Then Remus' name was called. He slowly took his place under the hat and waited. He quickly became a Gryffindor, too. James wasn't surprised by that.

James' thoughts drifted off from the Sorting Hat. He imagined himself sitting with the Gryffindors, laughing and joking, just like both of his parents. The name "Malfoy, Lucius!" brought him back to the Great Hall. The blonde haired boy strutted up to the hat. It had barely touched his head when it called "SLYTHERIN!" He smirked and walked to join the table on the right.

Then "Pettigrew, Peter!" was called. The chubby boy walked nervously up to the hat and placed it on his head. The brim fell down to his nose, which made him look slightly silly. It paused for a moment before shouting "GRYFFINDOR!" James smiled as the Peter happily joined the Gryffindor table.

"Potter, James!" McGonagall said and James swallowed. He walked up to the wooden stool just like the other students and placed the Sorting Hat on his head. As soon as James' head was inside the hat a voice broke into his mind.

"Hmmm, another Potter. Let's see, smart, like your mother, and brave, like your father. Yes definitely a Potter. But what's this? I see a reckless streak inside you. But, still, you're definitely suited for…GRYFFINDOR!" The hat had been speaking in a voice so just James could hear, but when it shouted the last word, James jumped. He smiled and walked over to the Gryffindor table where he sat down next to Remus. The smaller boy smiled in a congratulatory way.

McGonagall continued to read through the names. Jack Rosen, who had sat with Remus, James, and Peter in the boat, soon became a Gryffindor. Then the greasy haired, pale boy that was with Malfoy on the train was called. He placed the hat on his head and it immediately shouted "SLYTHERIN!" He hopped up and ran to join Malfoy.

A few Hufflepuffs were then called. Then two more girls became Gryffindors, Katie Statlin and Yori Vincent. McGonagall soon finished and picked up the stool and the hat and exited the Great Hall.

The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, stood up. Immediately the hall became quiet. "Well, another year has arrived and with it, a fresh set of students, classes, and adventures," Dumbledore said to his students. "Before we fill your heads to the bursting with knowledge, let us feast!" He sat down as mountains of food appeared on all the tables. James stared in wonder at the piles of chicken legs, mashed potatoes, stuffing, roast beef, scalloped potatoes, vegetables, and gelatin and lakes of gravy soup. James grabbed everything in sight and shoved it onto his plate.

"James, slow down," he heard Remus say next to him. James looked up from his plate with a half-eaten piece of chicken dangling from his mouth. Peter had been shoveling food into his mouth just like James. Remus was staring at them with a look of amazement and surprise. Sirius sat across from James. It looked like he hadn't eaten anything.

James swallowed the enormous amount of food in his mouth and tried to start up conversation. "Well, I, for one, am extremely relieved I'm sitting here and not over there," he said and jabbed his thumb over his shoulder.

"Me too," Remus said. "The hat was considering putting me in Ravenclaw, you know."

"I would have taken that over Hufflepuff or Slytherin any day of the week," Peter commented. James noticed Sirius hadn't joined the conversation.

"What about you, Sirius?" James said. "You don't look like you want to be here, but earlier you seemed so excited."

Sirius looked up from his plate and shrugged. "I don't know what I want. I've never really wanted to be in Slytherin. I'm never going to here the end of it from my parents, though."

Jack Rosen suddenly decided to join the conversation. "So which class are you guys most excited for?"

James perked up and said "Transfiguration. That's what Mr. Ollivander said my wand was best at." So the conversation went on from there. It eventually ended upon Quidditch. James didn't miss a second to tell everyone how much he loved it and how unfair it was that first years couldn't try out. Sirius cheered up throughout the conversation. Soon dessert was served and then it was time for Dumbledore to give his annual speech.

"Before we rest ourselves for tomorrow's lessons I have a few acknowledgements. To the first years, you must know that the Forbidden Forest is off limits. Anyone wishing a late death will do well to not go in there. Mr. Filch has asked me to tell you that anything bought at the store Zonko's is strictly off limits. Finally, anyone twelve and older wishing to try out for your house Quidditch teams, tryouts will be posted by the team's Captain. Now, sweet dreams."

When Dumbledore finished speaking all the food disappeared and the prefects of each house stood up. "First years, follow me," said a blonde-haired boy near James. He, Remus, Peter, and Sirius stood up and walked behind the prefect. They soon were joined by the rest of the first years and he led them out of the Great Hall. The prefect led them up a gigantic marble staircase. James stared skyward at the impossible way the stairs moved, swiveled, rose, and sank. Twice they had to wait for a section of stairs to connect with their's so they could continue.

They finally reached the seventh floor and entered a corridor. The prefect suddenly stopped, causing the first years to bump into one and other and topple over. James saw that they had arrived at a portrait of a very rotund woman. "This is the Fat Lady," said the prefect, whose name turned out to be Perry. "Behind her is the entrance to the common room. You must have the password to get past her." He turned towards the portrait and said "Voyvactus." The Fat Lady swung open, revealing a hole in the wall.

James soon found out that beyond the hole was a cozy room with a roaring fire in the grate. Big, red armchairs were scattered across the room. Two small staircases spiraled away from the room. Professor McGonagall was standing in the middle of the room.

"This is the common room," said the professor. "This is where you will do homework and spend free time. Every night, you will return here at ten o'clock sharp. Anyone caught outside the common room past ten will receive punishment. Now, you all are a part of the Gryffindor house. You will attend classes with the other students in your year. Any points you gain or lose will affect your whole house. Therefore, I'd advise you to behave. You will receive your class schedules tomorrow at breakfast." With that she briskly exited the common room.

As James digested this new information, Perry instructed them to their rooms (girls on the left, boys on the right). James walked up the steps and entered his room. Remus, Peter, Jack, and Sirius were right behind him. James saw that his trunk had been brought up and put at the foot of the four poster bed in the center. Remus was next to him on his left and Sirius on his right. Jack and Peter grabbed the other two beds.

Sirius quickly and quietly put on his pajamas and climbed into bed. But before he could get very far, he released a yelp. James looked over from where he was digging in his trunk to see that Sirius had flung himself out of bed. A familiar black and white blur raced from underneath the sheets.

"Cloud!" Remus yelled. Cloud raced into Remus' arms.

"What is that?" Sirius exclaimed.

Remus gave him a look of disgust and said "_He_ is my cat, Cloud, and _he_ will be rooming with us." With that, he placed Cloud back into his basket and went to sleep in a huff.

Sirius quickly followed suit. James changed into his pajamas and lay down in his bunk. His mind quickly filled with thoughts of classes and magic. This was what he had been waiting for his entire life. James fell into a quiet slumber.

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AN: Hope you enjoyed it. I know it's a little weird that Sirius was happy about getting into Gryffindor but he comes across as a goofball and as someone who wouldn't be into that whole pure-blood thing. Please tell me what you think. C'mon people I only have ONE review… oops, did I say that out loud?


	4. Welcome to Hogwarts

A/N: Okay, here's the thing. I've read the seventh book and I know that revealed a lot about the Marauder Era. I will try to incorporate some of it into the story but please remember, this is FAN FICTION so don't hound me about it please.

Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Harry Potter.

James entered the Great Hall full of excitement and apprehension. He had woken at dawn and couldn't go back to sleep, so he stayed up, reading through his Transfiguration textbook. To James, the class looked fascinating, being able to transform one thing into another. He couldn't wait to get to it.

James sat down next to Remus. Jack sat on his other side and Sirius and Peter sat across from him. James greeted them and grabbed a plate.

"Morning," Remus said. "Sleep well?"

James nodded and was about to speak when he was interrupted by a sudden rush of owls through a window. It was the morning mail. Hundreds of owls of all shapes, sizes and colors raced into the Great Hall. James had trouble spotting his owl, Hermes, until he saw the gray and white blur sail down towards him. It landed on his outstretched arm and stuck out his leg. Rolled around it was an issue of the magic newspaper, the Dailey Prophet.

James unrolled it, fed Hermes a piece of bacon, and glanced at the front page. It was just a story about the ministers plan to employ trolls for security. He set it aside and began to pile oatmeal on to his plate. "Yeah, actually, I did sleep well," James said while adding bacon to his plate. "By the way, I still would've slept well if I had been woken up ten minutes earlier." He threw them a nasty look and began to eat.

"Sorry, mate," Sirius said, trying hard to hold back a grin. "I just thought I'd let you get more beauty sleep, because you need it." They are laughed. James couldn't help but join in.

Halfway through breakfast, Professor McGonagall came striding down the Gryffindor table handing out schedules. James took his and began to examine it. "Excellent. We've got Defense Against the Dark Arts then Transfiguration." They quickly finished breakfast and exited the great hall.

If James thought the school was big last night, he had barely had an inkling. They spent a full fifteen minutes searching the third floor for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Twice they stumbled upon trick door, the latter of which shocked Peter when he tried to open it. Finally, they burst in on the class, huffing and panting from racing all over the third floor.

"Welcome," said the tall wizard who was standing at the front of the class. He was at least six feet, with dark black hair falling to his shoulders. He had a pointed nose and squinting black eyes that seemed to scrutinize everything. It looked as he had been about to talk. "Since it is your first day, I will excuse your tardiness, but make sure it does not happen again. Please take your seats." The boys filed in and sat down at the available desks. The man at the front of the classroom began to speak.

"I am Professor Shayde. I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year. First of all, I will not except horseplay in my classroom. If you do not take this class seriously, then you will be punished.

"Now, the Dark Arts are very mysterious. They are not well known and can be extremely dangerous, or even fatal if you do not know what you are up against. Therefore, I must teach you not only to defend yourselves, but to judge situation and anticipate your opponent's actions."

Professor Shayde went on for quite some time. When he finished, there were only fifteen minutes left of class, so he instructed them to read the first chapter in their textbooks, _Defensive Magic for Beginners_. Soon the bell rang and the students packed up and left the class.

"Bit of a talker, him," Remus said as the Gryffindors set out for the first floor.

"Really? I didn't notice," Sirius said sarcastically. They found the Transfiguration room easier and were settled in their seats when the bell rang.

James looked around for McGonagall, but the only other thing in the room was a cat perched on top of the front desk. He looked around at Sirius and he looked every bit as puzzled as James was.

Suddenly the students gasped as one. The cat that was sitting neatly on the desk had suddenly leapt from its perch. In mid-jump, though, it had lost all its fur and transformed into a smiling Professor McGonagall. The class erupted into applause and McGonagall raised her hands.

"Thank you. I have just demonstrated a very advanced branch of magic called Transfiguration. It is one of the hardest magics to perform. It requires talent, skill, determination, and a lot of hard work. So I will have no goofing off in my class or you will walk right out that door and never return."

McGonagall finished her speech and gave them all a hard look before she set them off trying to turn matches into needles. McGonagall's words turned out to be very true, and the class was filled with sighs and groans as they attempted to transfigure the object. James was very surprised indeed when his match became silver and pointy.

"Oh, well done Mr. Potter! Fifteen points to Gryffindor!" James smirked at Sirius and Sirius was very tempted to whack James around the head. Eventually the lunch bell rang and the students filed out of the classroom.

James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter made their way along with the rest of the students down to the Great Hall. They all sat together at the Gryffindor table and began to dig into the many various dishes along the table. It was only then that James remembered that he had left his wand in Transfiguration. He informed his friends about this and got up to go retrieve it. "I'll come with you," Sirius said and stood up too. James shrugged and together they returned to the first floor.

They found the Transfiguration corridor pretty easily. Standing next to the classroom was a group of students. It struck James as odd that they wouldn't be at lunch. Then, he saw the white-blonde, shoulder length hair in the middle of the crowd. Lucius Malfoy was laughing obnoxiously at something, as was the rest of the group. James also recognized Severus Snape. He wasn't laughing but he did look amused.

Malfoy noticed James and Sirius walking towards them and stepped out of the group. He had a smirk on his face that made James feel uneasy. Malfoy pulled out a dark brown wand out of his pocket that was very similar to James'. In fact, the wand was James'!

Malfoy twirled the wand in his fingers. "I was wondering when you were going to remember this," Malfoy said. "I must say, it took you longer than I expected." The other Slytherins stood on either side of Malfoy, all smirking. Sirius reached for his own wand, but James stopped him. He knew they wouldn't stand a chance against the Slytherins.

"Give me my wand, Malfoy," James said and reached out for it. Instead of handing it to him, Malfoy pointed the wand straight in James' face. James stopped dead and looked at its tip.

"You're going to regret making a fool of me Potter. I told you I'd make this the worst year of your life." Malfoy's smirk had dropped off his face and had been replaced by a snarl. Suddenly, all of the Slytherins had their wands out and were pointing them at James and Sirius. Each of them had snarls on their faces too.

"Say hello to the floor for me Potter. _Petrificus Totalus_!" Bright blue light flared at the end of James' wand. A tingling sensation appeared in James' chest and spread throughout his body. Very suddenly, James' legs were drawn together and his arms were flung to his sides. His entire body became rigid at once and he lost his balance. Being unable to move, James fell flat on his back.

A similar light flared and in a second Sirius was lying next to James on the cold stone. Malfoy and the other Slytherins cackled maliciously. James felt hands grab his robes, but couldn't look to confirm it. James felt himself drag along the stone floor all the way to the end of the corridor. He heard a door flung open and the boys were dragged in.

The classroom had no windows and was lit by a single torch which Malfoy grabbed instantly. The room was not very large and had a few bookcases and a single desk. Sirius and James were dragged along to the corner of the room. There, books, papers and an assortment of other things were piled on top of the boys to make them look like a pile of rubbish. Through the trash, James could only see dark ceiling scarcely lit by Malfoy's torch. That light faded and James heard a door close and a lock click. They were plunged into pitch darkness.

Remus and Peter were just finishing lunch and oblivious to the events happening upstairs. Throughout the meal, Peter would glance up at the great oak doors that led into the Entrance Hall. Remus repeatedly told him not to worry and that Sirius and James would return soon.

Remus himself began to worry when a group of Slytherins strutted into the hall, laughing and whispering amongst themselves. They walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down. There, they immediately began whispering to all those that could hear about something. Remus recognized Lucius Malfoy as the ringleader of this event. Remus remembered the day before and wondered if it had something to do with that, becoming slightly nauseas in the process.

Remus was a very bright boy. He had a large amount of logic and common sense. So it didn't take long for Remus to put two and two together and realize James and Sirius were in trouble. Just then the bell rang again and the students began to pour out of the great hall.

"Peter, go on to Herbology," Remus said to Peter. "I'll be there in a minute." Remus hung his bag over his shoulder and ran off. Peter stared after him with a dumbfounded look.

Remus blended into the crowd that emptied into the Entrance Hall. James had said they were going back to Transfiguration. Remus decided to start there. He ran towards the grand staircase and took the stairs two at a time.

The problem with Malfoy casting an advanced spell like the Full Body-Bind was that it was far beyond his capabilities. Malfoy was much too arrogant to realize that though. While it did indeed bind James and Sirius for a time, soon after Malfoy left, it wore off.

James was the first to unfreeze. Suddenly his arms and fell to the ground and his legs went limp. He blinked a couple time and got up, shoving books and papers off of him. Sirius unfroze a second later and James helped him up. Together they felt their way along the walls of the classroom until they found the door. James turned the knob, but it wouldn't budge. It was locked.

"I swear I'm going to kill him," Sirius said through a growl. He kicked the door extremely hard. His toe collided with solid wood and he howled in pain. Sirius bounced around on his other foot nursing his toe. Suddenly a voice drifted through the door.

"Hello? Is someone in there?" The voice sounded oddly familiar.

"Remus, is that you?" James said. Sirius was still seething.

"It's me. Are you guys okay?" Remus' voice drifted back through the door.

"We're fine," James said, then looked at Sirius. "Well, mostly. Can you open the door?" The knob jiggled and twisted but didn't give.

"No but I'll find someone who can." James heard footsteps echoing down the corridor.

On the other side of the door, Remus was running flat out down the corridor. He didn't spot a soul anywhere. Everyone was in class, and Remus dared not to come barging into a classroom telling a story like this.

He flew around a corner into another hallway. It was empty except for an old broom closet whose door stood open. Leaning on the wall next to it was a muddy shovel the caretaker, Mr. Filch, had been using. Remus suddenly had an idea. He grabbed the muddy shovel and ran all the way back to the classroom.

Remus arrived at the classroom door out of breath. James had heard him coming and called out, "Remus is that you? Did you find someone to get us out of here?"

Remus responded through gasps. "No – I got – something - even better. Stand back." Inside the classroom James and Sirius gave each other quizzical looks, but obliged. They backed up a few steps and stared at the door. Suddenly, they heard loud, resounding ringing sounds echo from the hallway. Then something metal collided with wood. The door began to splinter around the knob. Tiny pieces of wood fell to the ground. Then the knob fell back in one piece, leaving a hole the size of James' fist. The door being free of its lock drifted open. In the doorway stood Remus, holding a muddy shovel.

James and Sirius burst out laughing. A mental image of Remus smashing the door with a shovel was too much for them. Remus smirked and said, "Come on you two, we've got to get to Herbology." They ran out of the classroom and down into the Entrance Hall.

"Oh you can't possibly image the tortures I'm imagining for Malfoy right now," Sirius said with a vicious look on his face.

"So what exactly happened?" Remus said with a questioning look as they bolted out the Great front doors. James told the story of them being bound and stuffed in the classroom as they dashed over the green sloping lawns. It was jus then that James realized he was still missing something crucial.

"Oh no! Malfoy must still have my wand," James exclaimed. He cursed under his breath and turned around to go find Malfoy. Remus grabbed his arm and held him back.

"We don't have time. We're late enough as it is," Remus said. James scowled and reluctantly turned around. They arrived at the greenhouses. Inside the third class was going on. James, Remus, and Sirius peeked in through the window. Professor Sprout stood at the head of the greenhouse. She was addressing the class and had her back to the window.

Professor Sprout was a short, dumpy woman. She was almost always covered in soil and dirt. Her hair was brown and curly and very unkempt. Her face was slightly squashed and pink. Her eyes were emerald green and shown brightly. In her stubby hands she held the seeds of a foreign plant. The students had similar plants on trays in front of them. When she was done speaking, Professor Sprout turned and walked towards the greenhouse door. The boys ducked out of sight until she was well enough away and then crept inside.

Peter was standing at a bench with Jack. They were intently working on peeling the seeds. They were covered in a brown flaky crust that the students had been instructed to take off. James, Sirius and Remus appeared suddenly next to Peter. He looked around, surprised, but Remus put a finger to his lips. Peter understood and didn't say a word

An hour later, Professor Sprout dismissed the class. James was first out of the green house, charging up the sloping lawn towards the castle. He had a determined look on his face and a murderous look in his eyes. Sirius was right behind him, Remus and Peter following unsurely after.

James charged into the entrance hall, his eyes scanning the crowd of students coming and going. He was looking for a head of sleeked back blonde hair. After two minutes, he found it. Malfoy was standing with a few other Slytherins near the base of the grand staircase. Every once in a while, one of them would stick out their foot and trip an unsuspecting student.

James charged through the crowd, rudely knocking people out of the way. Walked directly over to where Malfoy was standing. Sirius followed, but Remus and Peter stayed back. James grabbed Malfoy by the shoulder and forcefully spun him around so that they locked eyes. Then James reached up and punched him squarely in the jaw.

There was a sickening crunch and Malfoy reeled backwards, falling onto his butt. All at once, the Slytherins whipped out their wands and pointed them at James. Remus and Peter looked dumbfounded, but Sirius looked highly impressed.

"MR. POTTER!" The shout echoed across the hall. James looked around and instantly his heart sank. Professor McGonagall was striding towards them, a cold fury in her eyes. 

Malfoy sneered and got to his feet. James wished he could punch him again, but that would ultimately not help things

McGonagall now stood before them. James shrank beneath her gaze. "Potter, how dare you hit another student!" she yelled. Several people looked around in there direction.

"Ma'am, I-"

"This is a highly respected school!" she went on. "We expect you to behave admirably!"

"But he-"

"There is no excuse for this type of behavior! A week of detention for you, Mr. Potter! And if this happens again, you can be sure the punishment will be much more severe." Her voice had dropped to a whisper. With one last glare, she strode away. When she was out of earshot, Malfoy turned to him.

"Well Potter. A week of detentions? I would have thought you could control yourself more. But I guess I expect too much of you." He and the other Slytherins walked away, laughing obnoxiously. Malfoy stopped and turned around. "oh and I suppose you'll want this back," he said and produced James's wand from a pocket in his robes. He threw at James's feet and turned away, laughing even harder.

James was furious. He picked up his wand and thrust it into his own pocket. He turned to Sirius. "Tough break, mate." Sirius said and put a hand on James's shoulder. James shrugged it off and walked towards Remus and Peter. Remus gave him a _Well I can't say you didn't deserve it _look that only infuriated James more. He blew past the two, saying only one sentence.

"I'll get him back, I swear I will."

Later that night, the four boys sat in the common room, stuffed from dinner. Remus was sitting in a chair near the fire, his nose buried in one of his text books. Sirius and Peter were playing gobstones on the floor near Remus, Peter losing horribly. James was sitting farther away, staring at the fire, still fuming.

The grandfather clock in the corner chimed the time, eight o'clock. Remus looked up at James from his book. "You'd better go," He said. James had been given a note at dinner telling to be in McGonagall's office by eight-fifteen. James grunted and left the common room without a word.

He arrived at McGonagall's office ten minutes later. He sat down in a chair in front of her desk and waited. She walked in a few minutes later, not even bothering to address him.

She quickly set him to work, cleaning her class room. For an hour he picked up papers, cleaned up ink, polished desks, straightened chairs, and did any other odd jobs she could find for him to do. The whole time, McGonagall sat behind her desk, grading essays. She'd occasionally look up at him, shake her head slightly, and continue on her work. Finally she looked up at the clock and nodded.

"Potter, come over here," she said. He straightened up, a paper still clutched in his hand. He walked over and stood in front of her desk. "Potter, I wanted to ask you why you behaved in such a way today."

James sighed. He could tell her the truth, and might get off easy. But a voice in his head told him not to. He couldn't understand why, but something made him reluctant to tell her. So instead, all he said was "I don't know."

McGonagall stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she nodded, and dismissed him. James left her office quickly, wanting to escape her cold gaze. He strode quickly down the corridor away from her office. He turned a corner, slowed down, and sighed.

James wandered through the corridors, absentmindedly. He was lost in thought. What had made him decide against telling the truth? Was he really trying to protect Malfoy? No, that couldn't be it. It was something else.

Suddenly, James ran face first into a wall. He reeled backward in surprise. He had walked into an unknown part of the castle. When he was about to turn around and retrace his steps, something caught his eye. One section of the wall he had run into was a different color than the other. The rest of the wall looked to be covered in more dirt and grime. James walked back to the wall and put his hand on it. He pressed but the wall didn't give. He stepped back and studied it.

James was almost sure that something was behind this wall. He decided to take another look, this time with more light. A torch was burning in a bracket nearby. James walked up to it and removed the torch. As soon as it left its bracket, a rumbling sound filled the corridor. James looked around and found the source of it. The section of wall that looked off to James was moving. It was slowly rising up into the rest of the wall, revealing a passageway behind it.

When the wall had completely risen, James cautiously peered inside. It was dark and smelled horribly. James shone the torch inside to reveal a smaller stone corridor leading off into the darkness. After a moment's thought, James entered, holding the torch out in front of him.

The hall way led away from the corridor for awhile then made a sudden turn. James followed the path for a few more feet. It led him to a steep staircase. James stretched the torch out over it, but still could not see the bottom.

James slowly made his way down. It took him five minutes to reach the bottom of the spiral staircase. James leapt the last few stairs and continued on. Just a few feet away from the steps, the passage came to a dead in. James frowned and felt the wall, but was almost sure this time there was nothing on the other side. James turned away in disappointment. But then something caught his eye. Embedded in the floor was part of a thick iron ring. When James peered closer, he noticed it was in the perfect center of a square cut out of the floor.

James set the torch against the wall. He then knelt down and grabbed the ring with both hands. He took a deep breath and pulled. Every muscle in his body strained but the floor didn't give. He clenched his hands and pulled harder. His face became beet red. Suddenly, the section of the floor came free. James stumbled backward. He set the chunk of floor on the ground and looked down.

He was looking into a small closet-like room. On three walls were shelves packed with an assortment of strange objects. A box of dead beetles, a package of some strange blue plant, a ball covered in fungus, jars of non-human eyeballs floating in fluid. James realized he was looking into the potions closet.

James smirked. "Well this could certainly be helpful."

A/N: Hoped you enjoyed it. It was a lot longer than my other chapters. I'm trying to make them longer. Please review!

Please!

Please!

Please!!


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